Bearing lubrication



Jully 2, 1946. D. B. BAKER ETYAL BEARING LUBRICATION Filed Jneze, 1944 f 2 Sheetssheet L 'July 2,1946. D. B. BAKER ETAL l Y 2,403,326

BEARING LUBRICATION Filed June 26. 1944 Sheets-Sheet 2 www@ @@7892 w3( Zz'ZZzavm emdfz @f (21u63. HHM-11 www Patented July 2, 1946 BEARING LUBRICATION Davia B. Baker, Riverside, and William o.

Bechman, Chicago, Ill., assignors to International Harvester Com New Jersey pany, a corporation of Application June 2li, 1944,` Serial No. 542,144

I l This invention has to do with a clutch and more particularly concerns a dry friction clutch employing a lubricated bearing between hubs of its drive and driven parts and a clutch mount- -ing providing for the lubrication of said bearing without discharging lubricant onto the clutch friction elements.

The clutch and the mounting therefor herein shown for illustrating the invention are especially adapted for use in a final drive power train for an endless track of a crawler tractor. A nal drive arrangement of this general charactre is fully disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,197;- 289 to D. B. Baker at al., and environment fo;`

ythe present showing is rillustrated in concurrently filed application Serial No. 542,145, filed 4 Claims. (Cl. 192-110) Another object is the provision of a clutch according to the preceding object, together with June 26, 1944. Also it should be noted that said n application Serial No. 542,145 and other concurrently filed applications, Serial Nos. 542,142 and 542,143 all assigned to the assignee of this application, contain claims directed to subject matter herein shownrbut not herein claimed.

Final drive clutches for crawler tractors are conventionally used for steering as Well as for transmitting driving force to the endless tracks, the steering being accomplished by selectively declutching the driving connections to the tracks so the direction of the vvehicle can be changed by driving the track at only 4a selected side thereof through the clutch which is left engaged. When both clutches-are engaged and both tracks are driven, the vehicle follows a straight course. 'I'his use of the clutches demands frequent disengagement and reengagement and because of the great mass of the vehicles themselves, in addition to the immense loads which they customarily propel, it is essential that v`the clutches be large to transmit the required power and to disin elevation and illustrated in a partly removed y sipate the correspondingly large amount of heat. I

Despite the size of the clutches, a. hoist being required to support -them during removal or replacement, they require periodic servicing. To facilitate this servicing the clutch and the parts thereabout herein disclosed are designed and arranged so the clutch can be detached from driving and driven shafts, between which it is used for establishing a driving connection, and thereafter removed bodily from the tractor without` the detachment of additional parts. 1 An important object of this invention is the provision in a clutch of the aforesaid charactery of an antifriction bearing unit between its relatively rotatable driving and driven members to retain the clutch in assembly during its installation upon and removal from the tractor.

means in a shaft from which the clutch is detachable for supplying lubricant to the clutch bearing, and of an oil seal in the clutch on the opposite side of said bearing from sai'd shaft to Aprevent spreading of the lubricant to the clutch friction surfaces.

These and other desirable objects inherent in and encompassed by the invention will be better understood after reading the following description with reference to the accompanying two sheets of drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view taken through the` rear portion of the body or frame housing of a crawler tractor, showing a center gear compartmenta clutch compartment, and a portion of a nal drive compartment;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, but with the clutch viewed position; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken of Fig. 2.

With continued reference to thedrawings, there is shown therein a preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to'a steering clutch and mounting therefor in the rear body, portion of a crawler tractor. Said tractor rear body portion l2, which may be considered as a tractor frame and also as a housing for a power transmission mechanism for interruptively driving the endless tracks on opposite sides of the tractor, is shown only suflicientlyto disclose the relation of such power transmission apparatus to a power input shaft to and av power output shaft II. The invention which relates to only a portion of the clutch and the journaled support therefor will be more fully comprehended following a clear understanding of the'entire apparatus disclosed in the drawings.

on the line 3--3 Said frame housing I2, or rear body portion of i between the shaft 25 and I drivingdrum the gearcompartment I4 from each of the clutch compartments I5.

Power from the input shaft I is transmitted 'through apinion gear I9 formed integrally therewith to a .bevel gear 2l and thence to a tubular driving member' 22, having a flange 23 to which the gear-'2| is secured by bolts 24. At the drivin'g member 22, the transmitted in opposite directions through shafts 25 and 25, each of which is splined internally to the tubular driving member 22 as indicated at 26. From the shaft 25, the power is transmitted through a steering clutch 21 to the output shaft II when said clutch is closed. Additional gearing (not shown) in the lubricant-containing compartment I6 is utilized for further speed reduction before the power is appliedA to a driving sprocket for the endless track of the tractor. A similar arrangement (not shown) is employed an endless track at the opposite side of the tractor.

Each of the compartment separating walls I3 power maybe -divided and which contains coaxial seats 51 and 53 respectively -for the outer periphery of flange 59 on the clutch-driven shaft I I and for a ball bearing unit 5I which pilots the hub 39 of the clutch driving member in said end wall 56.

This ball bearing unit 6I together with fastening means therefor presently to be described, which serve to retain the drive and driven .parts of the clutch in assembly when it is bodily extracted 4from the compartment I5, constitute an element of this invention. Dis-assembly of the outer race of the bearing unit 3l from the position shown, where it abuts a, shoulder SH at one end of the seat 58, is prevented by a snap ring SR disposed within a groovevof and which snap ring is abfutted by a retaining ringA RR when the driven drum end wall se 1s attached contains a large opening 23 which is accurately centered with openings 29 in the walls I1 of which but one is shown. Openings 23 carry and center bearing supporting plates 3I. Each platel, secured to its wall I3 by clap-screws 30, contains an'opening 32 for accommodating and which is slightly oversize with respect to the shaft or 25e. Roller bearing units 33 are carried upon shoulders 34 in the plates 3I for rotatably supporting the tubular driving member 22 coaxially I with the openings 23 in the compartment separating walls. The bearing units 33 are lubricated by lubricant contained within the gear comparti#- `ment i4 and some of this lubricant passes between the rollers of such units, but is prevented from leaking into the clutch compartments I5 by annular oil seal vdevices 35 of4 any conventional structure. These oil seal devices 35, therefore, cooperate with the tubular driving member 22 in preventing the leakage of the lubricant from the gear compartment I4 outwardly of this compartment through the wall plate openings 32.

t The clutch'21, which may be removed from the housing I5 as a unit, is thoroughly described in the aforesaid application, Serial No.` 542,l43,so that a brief description thereof here will sufiice.

The driving part of 'said clutch includes an inner drum 36 on which there are formed exterior axially extending ribs 31 which fit into notches (not shown) within the inner perlpheries of a. series of friction drive disks 33. A hub 39 for the drum 36 is connected therewith by spoke-like radiating portions 4 I the space between the radiating portions 4I accommodating radiating portions 42 of a pressure plate 43. A coiled spring vi4 which tends to maintain the clutch engaged reacts between a portion of the hub 39 and the left end of a spring cup 45 of which the base is connected to the pressure plate 43 by cap-screws 46. A reactioniplate 41 'at the left end of the is secured to the left end of. the 36 by a plurality of circumferentially spaced cap-screws 43 which are anchored inV radially inwardly projecting bosses 49 on said drum friction rings anged end 5I of the shaft 25 by cap-.screws 52. This is clearly illustrated invFlg. 3.

. Axial circumferentially spaced ribs 53, on an `notches (not shown) in theouter periphery of friction driven disk rings 55. The ydriven drum `54 has an end wall 53 at its outer or 33. Alternate of-the 'circumferentially spaced bosses `49` are secured to an enlarged to the driven shaft flange 59. A headed member HM retains the inner race of the ball bearing unit 6I against the shoulder S of a seat SE on the hub 33 by abutting its head H against the right end of such racev and by the projection of a stem portion ST through a bore B in said portion for the screwing thereonto of a nut Nvand a locking means L therefor. This disposition in the attaching of the ball bearing unit 6I the clutch adapts the bearing unit to be lubricated by lubricant subjected thereto through a cavity -CA'in the end of thedriven shaft II and supplied to such cavity through a shaft boreQBO. Leakage of the the'endwall opening 62 is prevented by an annular aforesaid attac I ent ofthe drum end wall 53 to the flange 59 on the inner orleft end of the shaft II is accomplished by means of cap-screws 64 distributed circumferentially about said end wall and turned into suitable holes near the edge iner race of the ball bearing `outer drum 54 of the clutch, are received in riant end I3 lIn braking. the vehicle,

of said flange. Proper centering of the clutch and shaft II is provided for by the precise fitting of the ange 59 into the end wall seat 51. .A

A ballbearing unit for journaling the driven shaft II has its outer race centered with respect to the compartment wall opening 29 by a centering plate 66 fitted into such opening and having a shoulder 31 for said bearing unit. A second shoulder 63 in the centering plate receives an oil seal device 69 which acts with the driven shaft in preventing leakage of lubricant from the nal drive compartment I6 into the lubricant-free compartment I5, through the oversize -shaft-receiving opening 1| in "said, centering plate. A standard means 12 is employed for holding the unit 35'upon a. shaft section 13 and against a shaft shoulder 14.

Normally, as explained hereinabove, the large coiled spring 44 in the' clutch maintains the clutch engaged while acting against the hub of the driving drum 33 and pressing the spring cup 45 to the left together with the pressure plate 43, whereby the alternately arranged driving and driven friction rings 33 and 55 arev pressed together in stacked relation against a reaction plate 41 se' cured to the left end of the driving drum. Thus rotative force from the clutch driving shaft 25 istrans'mitted from thedriving drum 36 through cup 45 to force it, and the pressure plate 43 to` the right incident to compressing the spring.

the outer periphery of said race in permanent assembly with` lubricant beyond the bearing unit.

oil seal device 63. The

Release ef-the clutch is eireetea left of the clutch, to the right whereby brake band 11 or :myl

conventional structure may be applied to the outer periphery of the clutch driven drums 54, and also the brake bands may be applied to the clutch drums 54 .selectively to obtain or facilitate steering of the vehicle in the conventional manner. l

When `it is desired to remove one of the clutches 21 to service the same as by the replacement of the friction rings 38 and 55, the mechanic will gain access to the heads of the cap-screws 52 and 54 through a casing opening 'I8 of Fig. 2 and unscrew these cap-screws respectively from the left end ofthe clutch driving drum 36 and from the plate 59 on the left end of the clutch driven shaft II. Openings 'I9 (Figs. 1 and 2) are provided in the clutch driven drum 54 in radial registry with said detachable connection for maintaining a coaxial relative rotational relation between the` other of said clutch members andsaid shaft and for preventing relative axial movement of such other member and saidshaft comprising a bearing unit disposed between said h ubsand, including inner and outerA races respectively axially fixed to said hubs, and lubrication supplymeans for said bearing unit comprising a lubricant conthe cap-screws 64 so that the heads of the cap`- clutch 21, the oil seal device 69 will prevent the' leakage of lubricant from the final drive com-y partment I6 into the lubricant-free clutch compartment I5 and the sealing devices 35 at oppo'- site ends of the tubular driving member 22 together with such tubular member will prevent leakage of lubricant from the gear compartment I4 into the clutch compartments. A similar procedure is followed for removing the clutch 21 (not shown) in the left clutch compartment I5, but, ofcourse, in that procedure the shaft 25 will be moved to the right to abut against the shaft 25 for providing the necessary clearance whichfacilitates removal of the clutch.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the invention with the view of clearly illustrating the same, we claim:

1. In a clutch and mounting therefor, a lubricant-free casing compartment, drive and driven dry clutch members in said casing and which are relatively rotatable when the clutch is released and having concentric hubs, a shaft journaled in said casing coaxially with said clutch members, said shaft having an end drivingly and supportingly connected with one of the clutch members and having a lubricant cavity in such end, means ducting passage in saidshaft and communicating with said end theerof e 3. In a c1utchinsta11ab1e between drive and driven shafts in spaced end to end relation for transmitting power 4`therebetween, and of which shafts one has a lubricant supplying cavity in its end; the combination of drive and driven clutch members for respective driving connection withl said shafts, said clutch members being relatively rotatable when the clutch is released and .having respective inner and outer hubs arranged concentrically, the inner of said hubs having an axial bore communicating between its ends and an outer periphery seat with a shoulder spaced from and facing toward an end of said hubs, the outer hub having an inner periphery seat-opposed to the rst seat and'a shoulder spaced from and' facing the correspondingend of the outer hub, a bearing unit disposed -between the hubs and comprising inner and outer races respectively in said outer andinner seats and against said shoulders to limit axial movement of the bearing unit in-4 wardly'from said hub ends, the side of said bearing unit facing in the same direction as said hub 4ends being exposed to said lubricant supplying cavity, a retaining member having a head engaging the inner bearing unit race and having a shank extending through said inner hub bore for the accommodation of fastening means at the other end of the hub for drawing said head rmly for maintaining a coaxial relative rotational relation between the other of said clutch members and said'shaft comprising a bearing unit disposed between said hubs and including inner and outer races respectively thereon, said shaft end cavity being communicative with said bearing unit to direct lubricant thereto, and an annular sealing device disposed between said hubs on the opposite side of the bearing unit from the shaft end cavity to cooperate with said hubs in confining the lubricant to said cavity and bearing unit.

2. In a clutch and mounting therefor, a casing, drive and driven clutch members in said casing and which are relatively rotatable when the clutch is released and having concentric hubs, a shaft journaled in said casing coaxially with said clutch members and having a detachable driving connection at an end with one of' said members, means including said one clutch member and its against the inner bearing unit race to prevent retraction thereof from its associated hub seat, and an annular sealing device also disposed between said hubs on the opposite side of the bearing unit from said hub ends. s

4. In a clutch detachably connectible as a unit in a power transmitting connection between drivev and driven shafts in spaced end to end relation and of`which shafts one thereof has a lubricant supplying cavity in its end and an attaching flange projecting radially from such end, coaxial drive and driven clutch members for respective attachment with said shafts and having concentric hubs having ends disposed toward and coaxially with said flanged shaft, a bearing unit assembled concentrically with and in iournaled relation between said hubs, an annular oil seal structure between said hubs on the opposite side of said bearing unit from said hub ends, means on the clutch member that attaches to the 4flanged shaft for covering said cavity while facilitating the discharge of lubricant therefrom into said bearing unit, and attaching means for unitary connection of the clutch with said flanged shaft and comprising means for detachably connecting the last mentioned clutch member with said ilange A DAVID B. BAKER. WILLIAM O. vBECHIIAN. 

